If you've ever read any of my other blog posts or follow my FB, you know how I feel about real vs. ideal. I truly believe that our current world has been swallowed up by this constant need to live the "ideal" life and that has crept into our photography trends. When we get all dressed up in our nicest, most color coordinated outfits and snuggle closely and give our best smiles (even though, in all reality, our kids are likely antsy and annoyed not to mention the husbands who do this out of obligation only) and then post those photos all over social media and hang them on our walls, we are placing our value in appearing to have the "ideal" life. And there's nothing wrong with that; I am one of the weird documentary photographers who believe that there is absolutely a place for portraits in a session. But here's the truth: its not real. And this is especially true when it comes to newborn photography. Here are some reasons I feel a Fresh 48 or in-home newborn session trumps traditional newborn portraits:

- There is nothing more beautiful than a newborn baby.

A fresh, perfect baby is completely, well, perfect! They don't need to be swaddled in crazy positions, wearing giant bows or themed caps. They don't need to be carefully positioned for hours to get the right pose while under studio lighting. These sweet tiny humans were crafted by a much higher power than we can fathom and they are born exactly as they should be. This is what should be captured in photos. The simple perfection that nature created. Babies don't need to be retouched and smoothed over in post processing; they need to be celebrated and admired for the amazing beings they are. Fresh 48 and in-home sessions let this happen and place the value in the real.

- No added stress.

Lets face it, having a newborn can be terrifying, especially if it's your first baby. The very thought of packing this tiny human into a carseat, packing a bag for tiny human (careful not to forget anything), transporting tiny human to an unfamiliar location and then keeping tiny human happy and content for 1-3 hours invokes stress. Your photography experience should not add discomfort to your life! Fresh 48's and in-home sessions don't require you to do anything beyond get dressed (and if you're doing a Fresh 48, a hospital gown or comfy pair of sweats is more than sufficient). You simply go about your new-normal routine and let the photographer capture the beauty in that.

- The images are unique and beautiful.

Your normal is not everyone else's normal. Your baby is not the same as anyone else's baby. Your images should reflect that. You should never look back at your pictures and simply see a beautiful baby; you should look back and see your beautiful baby. If you scan through BBP's galleries or Facebook page, you wont see two images that are alike. You wont see the same poses in each session. You wont see forced smiles. You will see genuine love and excitement and contentment found in each individual family.

- Future you will cherish these images.

So often, moms hesitate to do a Fresh 48 or in-home session because they don't feel they look "up to it" or their homes are not "photo ready." I assure you, this is just not true. First, lets talk about the fact that you just grew and birthed a human being. No matter what you look like afterwards, you look strong and capable. If your house has some dust bunnies and newborn clutter, its unlikely to even show up in an image. And here's the real kicker: future you Does. Not. Care. Have you ever had a picture taken of you and in the moment, you feel mortified because you felt fat/disheveled/tired/[insert any insecurity] and then years later, you see the same image and see a beautiful version of yourself enjoying a moment in time? I do that allllll of the time, so I assume I'm not the only one! And future you will feel the same way. Future you will not notice the postpartum belly or the clutter, they will just see an amazing mom who brought a new life into the world and remember what a truly fantastic journey it has been.